This is one of our most popular and fast filling workshops. If you wish to capture the ultimate loon images this is the workshop for you. Loons w/ newly hatched chicks riding on moms back are the highlight. This is our 14th year with the loons, knowing their behavior translates into better imagery. Moreover, our custom configured boat provides for an extremely stable, low, and maneuverable photography platform.

"Hello All, I just wanted to say thanks to each of you for your part in making our Loon adventure one to remember. It couldn’t have been better! The lodge, food, and our hosts were awesome, as were the cooperative subjects. To label our instructor as a Master Photographer far understates his expertise. His skills with the camera are well documented, but his talent as a patient competent instructor, LR and photoshop guru, and his passion for his profession can only be understood by spending a few days with him. In addition, he regularly shared little gems from the great book of life. I now realize that life’s story is best told when viewed in context, rather than compressed by a long lens. For this I will be ever grateful.

Thank you all. Danny & Denise Womack

-----------------

Join award winning photographer Charles Glatzer for 4 days on the lake. Loons have been nesting on a small island, and at the river mouth for the last 12 years and the workshop is scheduled at a time when young chicks have most often been present in the past. These loons, while not tolerant of craft that are paddled, are very tolerant of the pontoon boat that we will be using. They frequently swim very close and even dive under the boat. This is a unique opportunity to get close to a very beautiful bird and observe and photograph a variety of behaviors. Time slots will alternate daily so everyone gets to shoot with the earliest and latest light. The pontoon boat is set-up for shooting with tripod or laying flat on the deck of the boat with bean bag, skimmer, etc. This low angle deck position is outstanding, offering a lower more intimate perspective. Our watercraft has been custom configured with most rails and all panels removed and trolling motors fore and aft to facilitate the best photography possible. And, our boat captain and host is second to none at piloting our craft.

Our Lodge has an extensive set-up of bird feeders and numerous species are likely to be present including hairy and downy woodpeckers, yellow-bellied sapsucker, rose-breasted grosbeak, Baltimore Oriole, black-capped chickadee, white and red-breasted nuthatches and ruby-throated hummingbird. We will also try using a bird caller in the nearby wetlands to call in American bittern, Virginia rail and sora, and Barred owl.

For those wanting to extend their stay in the Northern MI area, we can give you suggestions and directions to other areas for other scenic or wildflowers photo opportunities.

Terms: A $1000.00 non-refundable deposit is required. The balance is due 60 days before the date of the STL workshop and is then non-refundable unless the tour sells out. If we do not receive your check for the balance on or before the due date, we will try to fill your spot off the waiting list. If your spot is filled, you will lose your deposit only.